Mechanical Engineer

About Our Work

We are neuroscientists who build ground-breaking technology for the spatial computing era. We stimulate nerves to create artificial tactile sensations, creating new, more meaningful connections to the user for notifications, 3D digital content, physical AI, health information, and beyond. Our first products will be mobile, wearable devices that stream haptic data from multiple digital sources to create meaningful sensations of touch.

What You'll Be Doing

The Mechanical Engineer is responsible for supporting hardware integration, assembly, packaging, and development activities across engineering programs. This role applies mechanical engineering principles to help develop, build, and validate reliable, manufacturable hardware solutions that meet technical and program requirements. The position works collaboratively with cross-functional teams including engineering, manufacturing, and operations to support product development and successful system integration.

Key Responsibilities

• Experience using 3D CAD (NX or Solidworks) to design densely packaged consumer electronic parts including: PCBs, flexes, antennas, enclosures, mechanisms, and batteries, etc

• Ability to build prototypes quickly and effectively to evaluate design concepts.

• Knowledgeable about a wide variety of materials, and scalable manufacturing processes

• Support hardware assembly, integration, packaging, and development activities for mechanical systems and products

• Execute assigned technical tasks within defined project scope, requirements, and timelines

• Collaborate with engineering, manufacturing, and operations teams to support design intent and integration objectives

• Assist in evaluating design approaches, components, and processes to support performance, manufacturability, cost, and schedule goals

• Contribute to implementation of process improvements, engineering standards, and best practices

• Participate in design reviews, risk assessments, and troubleshooting activities

• Support integration, build, and test activities to ensure products meet technical specifications and quality requirements

• Assist in root cause analysis and corrective action efforts for mechanical and integration issues

• Help maintain engineering documentation, including drawings, reports, procedures, and specifications

• Collaborate with cross-functional team members to ensure smooth execution of development and build activities

• Other duties as assigned

What You'll Need for This Position

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related engineering discipline required; advanced degree preferred.

Must-Have Skills & Experience

• 5+ years of experience in hardware integration, assembly engineering, packaging engineering, process engineering, mechanical/electrical engineering, or related technology domains

• Strong understanding of hardware development processes, system integration, manufacturing methods, and engineering validation practices

• Experience working in cross-functional technical environments with multiple stakeholders

• Demonstrated ability to solve complex engineering problems and lead technical initiatives

• Excellent communication, collaboration, and organizational skills

• Ability to work independently while influencing technical direction across teams

• Ability to evaluate emerging technologies and apply them effectively

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

• Excellent communication skills

What's in It for You

Work closely with cutting-edge technology. You'll be hands-on with novel neural haptic technology that's defining the future of spatial computing and immersive experiences.

Work in a close-knit, startup environment. We strive to create an intellectually stimulating and collegial working environment. Our energy for inventing, creating, and learning spans work and play: we have regular happy hours, plan field trips, play games, play music, and generally have a good time.

An early employee experience. We are an early-stage deep tech startup company that requires all members to contribute across the entire business. On any given day, there will be new challenges and new demands to propel the business forward. We expect all employees to be able to dive into any new challenges that present themselves, even if they are beyond the job description above. If your are driven by the desire to see success and to create new tech not seen by the world previously, you will fit right in to the team's culture.

Compensation & Benefits

Afference is committed to providing the sense of touch for the evolution of the human connection to technology and the future of the digital experience. We are leading this effort through deep science and technology, which provides unique experiences compared to classical haptic technologies. Our lean team of experts demands a high level of excellence but can compensate with the commensurate upside potential of an early-growth startup in a high-growth sector of extended reality.

Compensation offers depend on skills, qualifications, and experience, and range between:

$105,933 – $158,899 per year at 100% FTE

Benefits include:

• Medical, dental vision, life, STD, FSA, additional company perks

• Equity incentives

• Self-managed PTO

Location: On-site; Cleveland, OH office